144 Lloyd's natural history. 



these groups the term "Ape," has been by many writers chiefly 

 restricted, the remaining famihes of the Old World, and all of 

 the Western Hemisphere, being designated " Monkeys " as a 

 convenient method of nomenclature. The outward resem- 

 blance of the Simiidce to Man has made the various members 

 of the family objects of the greatest interest, not alone to the 

 naturalist, but to every intelligent person ; and has naturally 

 suggested a constant inter-comparison between the characters 

 of both. 



They are all essentially arboreal climbing animals, yet when 

 they come to the ground they progress in a semi-erect position 

 of their own accord. Their front-limbs are always so much 

 longer than their hind-limbs, that when walking on a level 

 surface their fingers reach the ground, without stooping lower 

 than their semi-erect attitude. Their front-limbs vary in 

 length in the different genera ; so does the thumb ; but their 

 great-toe is always smaller in proportion to the foot than it is 

 in Man, and, unlike his, is opposable to the other toes. As 

 they belong to the Catarrhine group, their nose has a narrow 

 partition between the nostrils, which are directed downwards. 

 In all, an external tail, cheek-pouches, and (except among the 

 Gibbons) ischial callosities are wanting. All are covered with 

 hair, some m.ore thickly than others, but no Ape has on its 

 head the long abundant locks which Man possesses. 



The form of the skull varies very greatly in the Simiidce, 

 It is, however, always longer than broad. In its frontal 

 region it is never so rounded and elevated as in Man. The 

 roof of the eye-sockets projects into the fore part of the 

 brain-cavity, and considerably reduces its capacity. The 

 pre-maxillary bones (carrying the incisor teeth) are relatively 

 more distinct and much larger than in Man, "the sutures 



